Q & A: How do I handle clients who are always late?

Here are a few tips on how to handle those habitually late clients:

 

1) Get clear about your boundaries.  Get clear about how client tardiness affects you and your business, along with your other clients.  Does it mean you have to cut corners somewhere else?  How does it affect your mood throughout the day?  Do you have to work later or earlier or miss other clients altogether when someone's late? 

 

Make sure you have clarity about your boundaries and stick to them. In respecting and honoring your boundaries, you will actually be honoring your clients too.

 

2) Have a clear late/no-show policy.  Now that you’re clear about your boundaries, you can put a policy into place. 

 

I know many of you are thinking, “This is a bit too "formal", I'm just a one person operation” or, maybe, you're thinking “Oh, my clients know what I want.” 

 

This, seriously, couldn't be further from the truth.  Clients are not mind readers and, even if you’ve told them once, it is often not enough. 

 

Putting it in writing is crucial and creates a space where boundaries are clear and, when you take action, it is less of an issue.

 

You can post a copy of it so all of your clients can see it or, if it’s an issue with only a few clients, pass it along from a professional perspective the next time they are late. 

 

3) Charge a fee to "reschedule".  Don't say, “I am just happy to get a paying client, never mind charge them extra fees.”  Bottom line?  You are worth it!  You have worked really hard to provide your professional service, and you should get paid for ALL of your time.

 

To review:  The fastest and most professional way to eliminate late clients and no shows is to get clear about your boundaries, make your policy clear, and charge a reschedule fee for no-shows. Sometimes words are not enough, so put it in writing now! 

 

How do you handle clients who are always late?